Dear Sabo: The Log Book of the Strawhats
by Mei Neko
Summary: A bit of an AU where Luffy starts his adventure with a friend  OC  who records their adventures and meet their nakama.  Nakama-ship and humor.


Warning!: This has spoilers from the later chapters of the manga One Piece! If you haven't read up to chapter 600, you may be a bit confused. Also there is a Mary Sue however I hope the way I have written her will enhance the story and not ruin it!

Disclaimer: The manga and anime of One Piece is not mine but it belongs to the most awesome creator Oda Eiichiro and Toei Animation.

~Long Live Luffy!~

**Dear Sabo: The Log Book of the Straw Hats**

~Long Live Luffy!~

_Dear Sabo,_

_Today is the day! After watching Ace leave the village 3 years ago, Luffy has been impatient to become the pirate king. He's grown stronger than ever and lucky for us, Garp-jiisan hasn't come by to drag him to the navy. _

_I don't think he even knows that the money he sent to Luffy and me has gone to Makino's bar instead of travel expenses to join the navy._

_You must be laughing now. You're probably wondering how we're going to get to the Grand Line since neither of us can navigate. Baka, you were supposed to be our navigator! Well, at least Luffy is lucky to have me. As the log keeper and first mate, my hand writing is better than his._

_I guess all of us are starting out the same – a small boat, a barrel of water and food. But we don't have a mast for our flag. Mostly because our boat is just a rowboat – quit laughing! _

_Don't worry though, we're going to be fine. After all, Luffy is going to be the pirate king and I am going to write out all of our adventures! But first we're going to need some more crew members. Luffy thinks ten or eleven is enough and that our first member should be a musician. I disagree – it should be a cook._

_I am going to miss Makino's cooking._

_So watch over us, Sabo. Watch all three of us as we laugh, cry, and fight with all of our hearts. But watch over Luffy especially because he is going to be the Pirate King!_

~ Long Live Luffy! ~

"Saa…"

"Ahh…"

"Nee, the sky looks so nice today."

"Um…"

"When I die, I want the sky to be this nice."

"Ah…"

"Nee, Luffy, what are we going to do?"

The sky so blue and clear with the sun shining down on the lone row boat containing a two people in their late teens. One a young man wearing a red sleeveless button down shirt, torn blue shorts, straw sandal, and a straw hat with a red ribbon. He had a pleasant expression on his face and the scar beneath his eye did not make him look tough like he had wanted it to in his younger years.

Across from him sat a young lady leaning against a barrel with a peaceful expression on her face. She wore a foreign set of clothing called a kimono of sky blue with white snow drops and a navy blue obi. Her feet were adorned with wooden getas and her black hair was put up with a single white comb. In her arms, she clutched a large book.

"Who would have thought our big adventure is going to end today?" Luffy commented as he looked over to his left where a huge whirlpool ravaged.

"Well, we're out of food anyways." The girl mused as she tapped the empty barrel. "I think it's worse that we end up starving."

"Mou! I thought I told Makino to pack us enough food!" Luffy moaned. The girl gave a sad nod at that.

"It didn't last even two meals with us." She added tearfully. Then wiping them with the sleeves of her kimono, she looked at her friend. "So how are we going to get out of this? You can't swim."

Luffy nodded and thought for a moment. Then he gave a grin and slapped his fist against the palm of his hand.

"Shishishi! It's doesn't matter if I can't swim! People can't swim in whirlpools!"

"Oh! You're right!" the girl agreed smiling. "We would have drowned anyways!"

The two good friends laughed at the discovery of their plight. It was a few more minutes before the tiny row boat was smashed to pieces by the roaring sea.

~Long Live Luffy!~

In another part of the ocean, the second most ridiculous ship to be ever created was currently being under the inspection of the captain. The ship itself looked like it belonged in the Tunnel of Love for Clowns with the head of the ship looking like a goose instead of a swan and there were way too many hearts to take the ship seriously as a pirate ship. However, the poor crew of this ship had no real voting power as the captain had enough power to beat them with one blow – literally.

One crewmember, the cabin boy, felt more unfortunate then the rest. Mostly because he had never meant to join the pirate crew at all. He had only wanted to go enjoy a day of fishing, catch a pail full, and have his mother cook him a delish dinner with his catch.

Coby did his best to maintain a smile as he watch the other crew members fidget as their captain inspected the ship. The pink haired teen prayed that the captain would be satisfied with the work and leave them all alone for her Harlequin novels.

Unfortunately for them all, the captain was not satisfied with the job done. With a single jeweled finger, the captain swiped at the rail to find dust still on it.

"Why is there so much dust?" the captain's surprising cultured female voice asked dangerously. The pirate who was ordered to dust the rails tried his best to correct his mistake but it was useless. And when he began to beg to be forgiven, he received the harsh blow of the captain's bludgeon.

"Coby!" she ordered. "What's the most beautiful thing of all the seas?"

Coby thought of a hundred things that was beautiful but dutifully answered the question.

"Eh..ehehehe, of course that would be you, um, Albida-sama! Eh hehehe." His voice stuttering the reply which had been burned into his brain. However inwardly he wondered just what the hell this woman was smoking or if her ego was hard as diamond to believe it. If anything besides her strength, Coby had to admit that Albida had no confident issues about her looks.

Especially since the captain was three men wide in the torso and reminded Coby of a crab.

"That's right! And I absolutely hate dirty things! So!" she yelled out and turned to face her crew. "I don't want to see a single dirty thing on this ship! Do you hear me?"

Her yell instantly gained affirmatives from the crew as they scrambled around for cleaning utensils. Only Coby remained as he cringed as she glared down at him.

"Remember Coby, I only let you live this long because you know more about navigation than the others."

This was said plenty of times whenever Albida thought Coby was being ungrateful. To be honest, Coby had wondered what happened to their previous navigator. The more optimist side thought that the navigator ran away and lived a life far away from the fattie crone. The more pessimist side and probably the realist thought the guy got killed. He stuttered his thanks to the captain but ended up receiving rather harsh kicks.

"But other than that, you're totally useless! Now clean my shoes!"

Bowing his head, he pulled out the polishing cloth in his pocket and began the task of polishing her shoes before her. At least she didn't make him clean the shoes in her closet like yesterday. He shivered as he thought about all of those shoes. Soon, she later orders him to clean the washrooms of her tiny island hideout. Sighing sadly, Coby got off the ship and was about to head towards the building where the washrooms were when something on the shore caught his eye.

It was a large barrel. Judging by the complete lack of movement as the waves hit it, he could bet his life that it must be full. Full of what, he was unable to tell since there was no label. For all he knew, it could be full of either mead or salted pork. It took him some time to free the barrel from the shore and it felt like forever as he pushed the barrel towards the store house. He wondered just was in it for it to be so heavy.

By the time he got there, most of the men who carried the supplies had left with the exception of three.

"Hey cabin boy! What you got there?" one of the men asked glaring down at him.

"I don't know. I found it on the shore. It's pretty heavy."

"It's got to be sake! Must be filled to the rim if it's heavy." Another man gloated. Then he grinned at his partners. "Hey, let's drink it all together!"

"But if the captain finds out, we'll be…" the first man began as his imagination took over what the captain would do to them if she found out about 'stealing' from her stores. However the third man gave a snort and a smirk.

"She won't find out. We're the only ones cleaning the wine cellar, so only us and stupid Coby will know about this." He answered with his somewhat logical solution. The first man finally grinned at the idea of drinking free booze without the captain knowing about it.

"You're right!" he agreed and the second man gave a laugh. The third man however turned his attention to Coby and began to threaten him.

"You know what to do, right Coby?" he snarled and Coby shrank away from the barrel and the men.

"Of…of course! I-I haven't seen anything! Eh hehehe…" he replied weakly. "S-so please don't beat me up."

BAKII!

DON!

The barrel suddenly exploded from the top and a young man wearing a straw hat cried out,

"AHHH! WHAT A NICE NAP!"

"WHAT THE HELL?" the three men screamed at the sight of their so-called sake turning into some weird jack-in-the-box.

"WOO! Looks like we're saved, Ichi!" the young man yelled laughing. "I thought we were gonna die for sure!"

It was a second later that a pale appeared from the edge of the barrel and then a girl with black hair peeped at the top with a sleepy look on her face.

"So sleepy…so hungry…" she moaned. However the boy ignored that in favor of their surroundings. He blinked in surprise at the sight of three men staring at them in horror.

"Eh? Who are you?" he asked which snapped them from their stupor. Coby could practically feel the floor with his jaw from the sight. The three pirates yelled out their demands to know who the strangers were and why they were in the barrel they believed to be full of sake. However before they can say anything else…

"STOP SLACKING OFF!"

With a crash, the store house collapsed thanks to the huge spiked bludgeon that was thrown with great strength. It even had enough force to throw the barrel with the two teens out to another section of the island along with Coby. Thus leaving the three men as culprits to Albida's eye.

"I ask you! What is the most beautiful thing in the seas?" she roared as she glared down at the puny men.

"You are, Albida-sama!" they screamed in reply. Leaning down, she stared at one of the men with a sneer on her face.

"Good. Then tell me why are you trying to disobey me?"

"Eh? There's no way we would ever…"

"Don't play dumb with me! I heard you guys say 'What a nice nap!' from all the way to the ship!"

It took the men a few moments to realize that their captain heard the boy from the barrel yelling about the nap. In an instant the three began their story to cover their deceitful deed.

"Captain! We have intruders!"

"That's right! Coby brought them in!"

Captain Albida looked surprise that her weak will of a coward cabin boy actually had the guts to betray her. Then she sneered that the boy had to hire someone to help him at all.

"Did he brought in someone to catch me for a reward, that coward of a brat!" she muttered angrily. The three pirates, now relaxed since the fury now went to Coby began to ponder on who the intruders are.

"You don't think it might be him? That famous – " one of them began however it was counter by his friend.

"No way! I heard that the marines got him and he's still in prison!"

Albida gave a snort at that.

"If he's the real thing, he must have escaped. That guy is a monster that Roronoa Zoro!"

~ Long Live Luffy! ~

In the mean time, the three teens were gathered in the forest and both the boy and the girl were trying to get out of the barrel at the same time. Coby watched them as they tried to get out and wondered why neither of them had thought of going one at a time.

"Move over!"

"Hey! Don't push!"

"Ichi! You're squishing my arms!"

"Ano…" Coby began and the two looked at him curiously. "Are you guys okay? You've got knocked pretty far you know."

Both of them smiled at the same time.

"Hahaha! We were just surprise, that all! I'm Luffy and she's Ichi!" Luffy said as he adjusted his hat. Then looking around he realized something. "Hey, what is this place?"

"This is the hideout of the pirate 'Iron Bludgeon Albida.' I'm the cabin boy of the ship." Coby replied smiling. The girl, Ichi, managed to squeeze herself out of the barrel and landed on her face. Getting up and dusting the dirt off of her kimono, she looked at Luffy.

"Ne, Luffy. Is that important?"

"Nope." Luffy replied as he got out of the barrel. "That's not important."

Coby sweated as the girl gave a nod before turning to Coby.

"That's not important." She told him seriously.

"What's important is we need a boat." Luffy added. "Ours got caught in a whirlpool."

"Whirlpool?" Coby cried out. "You guys were caught in a whirlpool?"

"Yeah, we thought we were going to die." Luffy replied with a grin. "It was one scary whirlpool."

Ichi nodded in agreement before pulling a huge book from the barrel. Coby had to wonder if there was something wrong with these two people.

"A normal person would have died already." He mumbled before turning back to the main point. "So you guys need to borrow a boat? I have one but…"

The boat he led them too was poorly made due to his limited skills and the materials he was able to gather. The two strangers looked at it in confusion.

"Coffin?" Ichi asked as she tried to decipher what she was seeing.

"What is this?" Luffy asked frowning.

"It's the boat I've been secretly building for 2 years."

In an instant, the two looked at him with impressed looks.

"Two years? Don't you want it anymore?" Luffy asked.

"No, I don't want it anymore. I was gonna runaway with this, but I don't have the guts to do it. Even though I'm going to be the cabin boy for the rest of my life, there's still something I want to do."

"You should leave." The two said seriously with unimpressed looks.

Coby protested that he could not and told the story on how he became a pirate to the worst captain in the world. It only made things worse for him.

"Wow, you're pretty stupid and useless." Ichi commented honestly.

"Yeah, and wimpy too. I don't like you." Luffy added with a smile. Coby gave a shaky laugh as the first two people who treated him decently were also way too blunt.

"You're right. If only I were brave enough…" Then something occurred to Coby and he looked at Luffy. "Ne, Luffy-san, Ichi-san, why are you sailing?"

Luffy and Ichi gave a huge grin at the question.

"I want to become the 'Pirate King.'" Luffy answered.

"And I'm going to write all of our adventures!" Ichi added.

Coby stared at them in shock before he exploded.

"Eh? What? 'Pirate King' was the title of someone who had everything in the world! Are you telling me you guys are looking for the greatest treasure in the world? Are you guys talking about the 'One Piece'?"

They both nodded.

"Do you want to die? All the pirates are looking for that treasure?"

"Well, so am I." Luffy answered.

"Im-impossible! Absolutely impossible! Ut-utterly impossible! To become the king of pirates in the pirate era , there's no chance in hell!"

WHACK!

Coby clutched his forehead where Ichi had smacked him hard with her book.

"OW? Why did you do that?"

"Because I can't stand you!" she snapped with a glare. "Luffy is going to be the pirate king!"

"Oh, well I'm used to it…" he mumbled and would have curled into a ball but Luffy began to talk.

"I don't mind dying."

"Huh?" Coby asked as he looked at the taller boy in surprise.

Taking his straw hat from his head, Luffy's face had a determine look as he stared down at the hat. Ichi bowed her head to look down at her book.

"I don't mind dying because it's my dream."

Coby felt like the air from his lungs had been pumped out as he realized that Luffy was serious about becoming the pirate king. He had never met anyone with such amazing resolution as the boy before him.

"…w-won't mind dying…?" he murmured.

"Besides, I think I can do it and if it gets tough, I got Ichi!" Luffy added as he placed his hat back on his head. Ichi nodded in agreement.

Tears formed in his eyes as Coby felt a tight squeeze in his chest. Hearing Luffy's words and seeing Ichi's stead fast support made him feel conflicted. The more logical side was thinking that it was impossible for these two to get the One Piece. However the more desperate side was thinking why he never thought of that. Such a simple solution and yet he never had the courage to even think about it.

"…d-do…"

The two pirates looked at him curiously, waiting for Coby to say his piece.

"D-do you think I can accomplish my dream…if I-I'm willing to d-die?" he began. Then gritting his teeth, he looked up to the two. "Will I be able to become a marine?"

"A marine?" they asked surprised.

"I know it will mean we'll be enemies but joining the marines and catching bad guys…" Coby began rushing his words in earnest, "…has always been my dream! Do you think I can do it?"

"I don't know." Luffy answered.

"Maybe." Ichi answered.

"I have to at least try!" Coby went on, becoming encouraged with the fact that someone was listening to his dream. "I'd rather die trying to get out of here and join the marine than stay here and be cabin boy for life! And then Albida-sama…I'll be able to arrest someone like her!"

DOKAN!

"WHO DID YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO ARREST, COBY?"

The poorly made boat that Coby had spent 2 years in the making was demolished in 2 seconds by the iron strength of Albida and her bludgeon. Coby jumped back in shock and from the impact while the other two only stood their ground and looked at the woman with slight disinterest. Albida however sneered down at her cabin boy.

"Did you really think you can escape from me?" she commented cruelly with a smile. Looking over at the two strangers she sniffed in disgust. "Is this who you hired to capture me? The skinny one doesn't seem to be Roronoa Zoro and I didn't hear any rumors of him traveling with an ugly girl."

As she gave her opinion on whom she believed to be hired by Coby, her entire crew surrounded them. Coby privately thought that Ichi was a freaking goddess compared to Albida and was surprise that the girl did not seem insulted. In fact, it looked like Ichi was confused at what she was looking at. Luffy on the other hand looked surprised at the sight of Albida.

"Anyway, before I kill you, tell me! What's the most beautiful thing in the sea, Coby?" Albida demanded. Coby gave a shaky laugh and was about to reply the customary answer when Luffy interrupted.

"Hey, Coby! Who's the ugly fatty?"

"!"

That one question had the entire pirate crew in total shock. None of the men could believe that there was someone dumb enough to call Albida-sama an ugly fatty. At least out loud. Coby grabbed the front of Luffy's shirt, trying to get a grip on reality as well as trying to get the man to apologize.

"That kid…"

"He dares to…!"

"Luffy! Quick! Repeat after me! In all the seas, this lady is the most…" he began however Ichi's expression cleared to one of disappointment.

"Aww, that's human? I thought it was huge crab." She said as she pointed at the shock Albida. In that instant Luffy's face turned disappointed as well. He wanted crab too. However Coby stared at the two in shock as he remember that he was trying to save to people who were willing to die for their dreams.

It was obvious that they don't care about Albida's strength and didn't he just a minute ago asked them if he could accomplish his dream if he was willing to die? Gulping back the words he was orginially going to use, he steadied himself for the biggest change in his life.

"In all the seas, this lady is the most…" He began shaky before yelling out the rest as loud as he could, "…UGLIST, CRUELEST, FATTEST OLD HAG TO EXIST!"

Coby could feel his heart racing and his knees shaking as he tried to stay standing from his first step in freeing himself. However the feeling of killer intent forced him to look up and gulp of utter death that came from Albida's face.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed and Coby could hear Ichi's muffled giggles from her kimono sleeve.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Albida screamed as she pulled her arm away with her bludgeon to strike a blow. Coby gulped and steeled himself mentally while at the same time screaming his head off. However his scream of fear was wasted as Luffy pulled him away and threw him to Ichi who caught Coby easily.

"Good job, Coby! I'll take care of the rest!" Luffy stated with a grin. His words only enraged Albida.

"ALL OF YOU MAGGOTS, DIE!"

GOIN!

Coby stared in shock as the bludgeon slammed against Luffy's head. There was no way the boy could survive a direct hit like that!

"Don't worry, that crab didn't hurt him." Ichi said smiling. Coby blinked as he spotted a bit of drool coming out from the corner of her mouth. He wondered if Ichi was still hoping that Albida was a crab.

"Shishishishi!"

Everyone looked over at the supposedly dead Luffy who still stood there with the bludgeon on his head.

"Im…that's impossible! My bludgeon!" Albida screamed with her eyes wide in horror.

"Shishishi! It's useless against me, because I'm a rubber man!" Luffy replied grinning.

"R-rubber m-man!" Coby gasped as he realized that Luffy was truly alright.

"NO WAY!" The pirates yelled out.

Luffy ignored their yelling as his right arm stretched out behind him.

"GUM GUM NO PISTOL!" He yelled and his arm snapped forward so fast that everyone had trouble seeing it. However Albida felt it as the fist connected to her check with a loud 'DOUN!' and she flew and fell to the ground knocked out cold. Her men stared at what they believed to be the impossible before they finally reacted.

"…..! His arm! His arm extended!"

"Captain! Albida-sama was beaten by that monster!"

"HEY!"

The men froze before turning their attention to Luffy who looked at them sternly.

"Prepare a boat for Coby!" Luffy ordered as he pointed his finger at them. "He wants to join the marines so stay out of his way!"

They all quickly agreed and would have started their task but they were stopped.

"Matte!" Ichi protested with a pout. Luffy looked at her in surprise.

"Nani? Something wrong Ichi?"

She gave a scowl at her captain.

"Luffy! Don't forget to tell them to pack as much food as possible!"

"AH!" Luffy realized as he slapped his fist on his open palm. Then he glared at the pirates. "You heard my first mate! Pack us all of your meat!"

"HAI!" they screamed as they ran out to do what they were told.

"Luffy…!" Coby breathed in surprise. He felt his heart burst into joy and tears streamed down his cheeks. For the first time in two years, Coby felt hope for the future.

"Ahh," Ichi moaned as she looked down at the unconscious Albida and started to poke the woman with a finger. "I really hoped she turned into a huge crab."

Luffy nodded in agreement as drool started to dribble down his mouth.

For some reason, Coby felt that he should be grateful that he looked 100 percent human to Ichi and Luffy's eyes.

~Long Live Luffy!~

Well, this is the first part of this fic. For those of you who want to know a little bit about Ichi here it is:

Name: Ichi

Age: 16

Looks: About as tall as Luffy, long straight black hair that is put up with an ivory comb, pale skin, and just about as pretty as Nami but doesn't have the figure to match her. Always wearing a kimono to make herself look lady-like.

Personality: A simple creature who is devoted to Luffy's goal as pirate king. She truly believes that Luffy is meant to be the pirate kind and nothing is going to change her mind. Has a bad habit in thinking about food all the time to the point where she even hallucinates people as food. However she is rather docile in everything else.

Abilities: Will not be revealed throughout most of the fic nor will it be shown in this fic. There will be hints, but it not enough to be impressive for a long time.

Job: She is the first mate and log keeper for Luffy. Mostly because her handwriting is the best out of the two of them.

Past: She was sent to live with Luffy due to Garp gaining custody over her. For the past ten years she has been Luffy as his nakama.

Relationship: Utterly devoted to Luffy and is a most trusted friend. They are both too stupid to think about any other relationship than that.

Please review and give me your opinion on this! I just want to make you laugh!


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